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Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak wants the federal government to get on with negotiations to give the territory province-like powers over its own land and natural resources.Photo: Janek Lowe/Winnipeg Free Press

OTTAWA — Nunavut’s premier is pressing the federal government to get on with negotiations intended to give Canada’s youngest territory province-like powers over its own land and natural resources.

It’s been five years since the federal and Nunavut governments as well as an organization representing the territory’s Inuit people, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., signed an agreement committing the three parties to negotiating what is called devolution.

The Nunavut government sees devolution as an important part of the territory’s long-term development and self-reliance, which is why it has made the negotiations a top priority.

But while the three sides have appointed negotiators, Nunavut Premier Eva Aariak is unhappy formal talks have yet to begin.

“My issue is it’s just taking too long,” Aariak said in an interview Friday. “These negotiations should start now.”

Aariak met Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Thursday in the Nunavut hamlet of Rankin Inlet as the prime minister continued his northern tour this week.

She said Harper and Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt reiterated the federal government’s commitment to transferring powers to Nunavut, but that the federal cabinet needs to approve a negotiating mandate first.

Exactly when that will be is unclear, but Aariak left no doubt she’d prefer sooner rather than later.

“It takes a long time for these negotiations to be completed,” she said. “And now is the time to start them so that we may realize the end result in the years to come.”

Valcourt’s office would not explain Friday why the negotiations had not yet started.

“Our government is committed to working on devolution with the Government of Nunavut to help its people become more prosperous and take on more decision making abilities,” spokeswoman Erica Meekes said in a statement. ” We will continue to work with all involved to make devolution a reality and build a better future for all Northerners.”

The Northwest Territories and federal government spent more than a decade hammering out a devolution agreement that was finalized this past March and is slated to come into force next year.

Yukon concluded a similar agreement with the federal government in 2003.

While Nunavut is the country’s newest territory and its most sparsely populated jurisdiction, its importance is on the rise given growing interest in its natural resource reserves and the opening up of the Northwest Passage to shipping.

“There is so much happening in Nunavut in terms of development and the shipping activities that are happening more and more,” Aariak said. “The people of Nunavut need to take charge with their own land.”